Rachel Baron Writes

40 by 40…watch out world!

December 31, 2010 at 12:00 pm (Bucket List, Somewhat Serious) (40, bucket list, goals, rachel baron)

Photo courtesy of Micheletb

I’ve always been a very goal driven person. So a few months back, I complained to my therapist that I felt like I was just floating along because I had no goals. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. Recently, I realized, duh, that my life is awesomely sweet now, and *that’s* why I don’t have the big goals that people usually set. I’m pretty damn happy, so I don’t feel that dooming sense of dissatisfaction lurking over my life any longer.

But I do like having goals. It forces my somewhat-lazy butt to get in gear and remember to live life *now*. So even though I won’t be 40 for over two more years, I was inspired by another friend to create a list of 40 items I’d like to accomplish by the time I’m 40…some of them will probably take the 2+ years to get there, so think of it as good planning. And I promise to subject you to all the lurid details when I cross one off the list

1. See the Northern Lights
2. Climb a rock wall
3. See the impact crater in Arizona
4. Run a 5K
5. Have my picture taken with one of the lions outside the NYPL
6. Go to the Smithsonian
7. Have deep dish pizza in Chicago
8. Eat fish caught that day from the ocean
9. Visit Ellicottville for the day
10. Go camping (yep, never been camping for real, Girl Scouts doesn’t count)
11. Go to the Eternal Flame Falls
12. Swim in the natural pool at Buttermilk State Park
13. Take a lampworking class from a well-respected artist
14. Have a poem published in a print journal
15. Write a novel-length piece of fiction
16. Learn to play “Everlong” on the guitar
17. Buy a pair of Doc Marten boots (preferably the red velvet ones)
18. Donate platelets
19. Sign up for the Bone Marrow Registry
20. Swim with dolphins (preferably not because I got tossed overboard)
21. Go whale watching again
22. Find that perfect red lipstick
23. Have dinner at the Buffalo Chop House
24. Learn to make stained glass
25. Donate 500 Beads to Beads of Courage
26. Visit the Outer Banks again (need a replacement Dirty Dick’s glass!)
27. Go snorkeling & hopefully see a sea turtle
28. Make a homemade pie
29. Make homemade lemonade in the summer
30. Try 10 new fruits/vegetables I’ve never eaten before
31. Learn to make stamped metal jewelry
32. Make some resin jewelry pendants
33. Go on a ghost hunt
34. Visit Savannah, GA again
35. Drink nothing but water for a week
36. Have a butterfly land on my hand
37. Take the train somewhere
38. Learn to make clothes on a sewing machine
39. Learn basic Calculus
40. See the Persieds meteor shower